Anywhere You Go
by DeadManHBK
Summary: Ultimately, an alternate ending to the way the film ended... What if young Christine changed her mind? What if Raoul was not the man she decided to choose? How would fate play out? (Inspired by the 2004 film.)
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first attempt at POTO fiction. Be gentle. :)_

 _Rated M for a reason! Adult themes to come along. ;)_

 _Enjoy!_

 **Anywhere You Go**

" _Take her...forget me...forget all of this...leave me alone; forget all you've seen..."_

Those final words rang loudly in Christine's mind, and she knew that look of sadness and defeat which had been on his face as he said it would forever be burned into her memory.

What was she doing? Did she really want to leave? Numbly, she continued to let Raoul drag her through the damp corridors back to the world above, but with each step the feeling of making a huge mistake increasingly filled her.

"All you need to do is climb up, and we are free from this nightmare, Christine," Raoul suddenly commented, pulling her from her thoughts, and placed his hands firmly on her waist. "Here, let me help you-"

"No, wait," she stated, and moved from his hold. "I don't think I can do this."

"You don't think you can do what?" he asked in disbelief. "Leave this dungeon? Escape the clutches of that...that _monster_ back there? What, Christine? Please, do tell, because I do not understand, and we are running out of time."

"I...I do not have a way to explain any of this, Raoul..." she started, and placed a hand on his cheek. "You will forever have a place in my heart, but this is something I must do."

Raoul opened his mouth to say something, when she suddenly turned around and began to run back down into the darkness which had been behind them. "Christine!" he yelled, running after her. "Christine, come back!"

"I love you! Now go to safety!" she yelled over her shoulder, and disappeared around a corner.

Unable to just let her go, he continued after her, and thankfully was able to catch up to her. "What on Earth has gotten into you?" he demanded, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"Raoul, I think I made a mistake...I need to go back to him..."

"Why, Christine? Why?"

She looked up at him with those big, innocent eyes. "Raoul...I cannot even begin to put into words the things which I am feeling right now, but...something is telling me he is where I need to be..." she admitted, and placed the engagement ring he had given her in his hands, guilt both on her face and in her voice.

Raoul's heart dropped into his stomach as he looked down at the small piece of jewelry. "But...I...I thought...Christine, I l _ove_ you, and I thought that love was mutual."

"Oh, Raoul, I _do_ love you...but I don't think it is the same love you feel for me, and I am so sorry. I have been confused, but I think I am finally figuring this all out, and...I just need to go back to him. I am sorry for hurting you like this, especially after all you have been put through, but...please understand."

Anger began to rise within Raoul. "Christine, you are still blinded. You do not know what you are saying. That man...that _thing_...he could never bring you the happiness I can bring you. I cannot and will not understand, because right now you speak of nonsense. Now come with me, and we can discuss this once we are out of this hell."

"I said _no_ , Raoul-" she firmly protested, when he suddenly slapped her.

"How can you do this to me? To _us_?" he shouted, and glanced back when the sound of the angry group of people could be heard.

Suddenly afraid of what more Raoul may do out of his obvious anger, Christine once more ran off as quickly as she could. Hearing his own footsteps quickly beginning to follow her, she rounded a corner, and quickly ducked behind a small nook in the cavernous walls, praying to the gods above he could not find her. She heard him slow down to a walk, and could see the light from his torch be shone in her direction. Closing her eyes, and holding her breath, she anticipated the worst, but instead the light grew dim and his footsteps grew distant as he walked back towards the sounds of the mob.

"This will not be the last of us!" she heard Raoul yell, and waited a bit longer until she could no longer hear him. Taking a deep breath, she slowly left her hiding spot, and when she saw she was truly alone, she once more began to run...back towards the darkness, where her Angel would hopefully still be...

Sitting on the ground, he stared at the small music box sitting before him, watching the monkey on it dance as the melody which had once given him joy played. "Masquerade...paper faces on parade...masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you..." he quietly sang to himself, and looked down at the veil he was holding; the veil which had been intended for his bride. "Christine, I love you..." he whispered, more tears coming to his eyes as he brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. Even though she only wore it briefly, he could still faintly smell her on it.

Suddenly, he could hear the distant noise of an undistinguished voice. _"It appears as though my time is up"_ he thought to himself, assuming it was the mob he was hearing, and stood up, prepared to give himself to them willingly. Whatever they had planned, he deserved it.

"Angel!" the distant voice called, this time closer, and his heart skipped a beat.

Christine? Could it be so? Surely not...

A mixture of emotions washed over him when he suddenly saw her come around the corner, wading through the knee-high water. This was no dream...she was truly here. "C-Christine?" he choked out, having momentarily lost his voice.

"Angel!" she once again exclaimed breathlessly, running over to him once she was out of the water, and simply looked up at him once they were finally face to face, wanting to embrace him but decided it might be best to keep her distance as of now.

"W...What are you doing here? I told you to go. This is a dangerous place for you to be. Let me help you get out of here safely," he stated, and started to lead her away, when she stopped him.

"No...I...I don't want to," she protested, taking him by surprise.

"What do you mean, you don't want to? Christine, being down here puts you in harms way. There are people who want to kill me. People who could be here any minute now, who just might hurt you as well for being here with me. You need to-"

She covered his mouth with her hand, the contact of her skin against his lips sending a wave of shock through him and stopping him in his tracks. "Angel...I'm not fully sure why I am here...but all I know is that...I have this feeling this is where I need to be." Before he had the chance to respond, she suddenly hugged him tightly around the waist, sending his sense into overdrive. "Anywhere you go, let me go too," she added with a whisper, and he was unable to hold back the tears which silently slid down his face.

"You don't know what you are saying," he said in a strangled whisper, trying desperately to keep his composure. Gently pulling her away, he added, "Look at me, Christine. In more ways than one, I could never give you the life you deserve. I let you leave, because deep down I knew I could never see that lively spark leave your eyes, which is exactly what will happen if you stay here. I'm not a good person. I don't interact well with other people, and I guarantee you, I will make you nothing but miserable."

Touching his face, she responded, "Oh, Angel...you don't see what I see, do you?" He simply looked away. "Maybe you are correct in what you say; maybe I will decide one day I want to leave...but if I had any inclination to that being a possibility, I would not be standing before you. I know what my soul, and my heart is telling me. I came back for a reason. Please don't send me away a second time..."

Hesitantly, he took her face in his hands, left in awe by both her words and the look in her eyes. He leaned in slightly, desperately needing to kiss her, and her eyes slipped shut as his face grew closer to hers. Just when he was about to taste those sweet lips a second time, they heard a distant sound, and there was no denying this time it truly was the people looking for them. He looked up toward the direction which the sounds came from, and then back down into her panic-filled eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asked, and when she gave no response, he repeated, "Christine, do you trust me?"

"Yes...yes I do," she softly replied with a nod.

"I have a plan for us, but I need you to put your full trust in me. I would give my life willingly for you to keep yours. Please never doubt that. All I am asking is you do as I say, and believe me when I promise to keep you safe."

"Yes, angel," she whispered, and with that he led her over to one of the mirrors. Pushing away the heavy curtain which covered it, he reached up to unlatch a hidden lock, and the mirror swung open to reveal a secret corridor. Reaching inside the darkness, he retrieved two heavy cloaks, and a small travel bag.

"You will not be able to see, but I can. Whatever you do, do not let go of my hand. Alright? As long as I have you, you will not be in harms way," he explained to her as he deftly bundled her up snugly before putting the second cloak on, and when she nodded, he firmly grasped her hand before slinging the travel bag over his shoulder and taking them both into the vast blackness...


	2. Chapter 2

Being in that pitch black atmosphere made time go astray, and left Christine feeling as though they had been wandering for ages as Phantom led her through the winding tunnel. Where was he leading her? Did he even know where they were anymore? Just as she began to fear they may be lost, she could make out a very dim light, and as they rounded yet another corner, she breathed a sigh of relief when she could finally see the an opening leading to the outside world. As they approached it, she could see it was some form of storm drain, and watched as he pushed open the heavy iron cover.

Seeing the opening stood well above her head, he asked, " Would you like some assistance?"

"That would be much appreciated," she softly responded, and firmly but gently grasping her waist, he lifted her with ease into the pale moonlight.

Taking the bag from him, she watched as he lifted himself from out of the tunnel with a gracefulness, and found herself asking for the umpteenth time what was she getting into with this man. She could see they were just a sort ways up the street from the opera house, the tunnel having led them to a small alleyway.

"Christine, I need you to stay here for just a moment while I retrieve us a form of transportation. Are you alright with that? I do not want to put you in any discomfort if it can be avoided."

She could not help but to give a small smile at his concern. "I will be just fine," she reassured him.

"I will be quick," he replied, and hesitated before lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. "I shall return," he added, and before she had a chance to respond, he quickly made his way down the main road.

Bringing the hood up over her head, and tightly wrapping the cloak around her body, she ducked into the shadows, fully alert to her surroundings. As she watched and listened for any nearby movements, she thought long and hard about everything which had conspired within a mere time of hours. Her decision was about to drastically change her life forever...potentially for the worse. Was she willing to take that risk, just to figure out exactly what is was she felt for this man? The window to escape was wide open; she could easily run back into Raoul's embrace, and choose the predictable future he offered.

" _Don't forget what he did to you,"_ a voice within her head warned her, and she recalled the anger Raoul showed before slapping her across the face. Is that the sort of man she wanted to devote her life to? While he may have harmed others, Phantom had never once put his hands on her. _"You trust him...you said yourself you do,"_ she once more thought to herself, and was unable to deny this as anything other than true. There was something about the way he looked at her which made her feel as though no harm could come her way as long as he was there. Something deep inside her still said she would regret not going with him.

Just then, a carriage pulled up to the opening of the alley, and a rush of panic suddenly filled her. Before she could react, the driver stepped down, and she let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was Phantom. "Angel...what are you doing?" she asked with confusion.

"I told you I needed to get us transportation, my dear. This is what I found," he explained, taking the bag from her, and gently grasped her elbow to lead her toward their form of escape.

She gently pulled back, her resistance making him stop, and when he looked down at her, she asked quietly, "...How did you get this?"

Knowing she had seen firsthand the horrors of his handiwork, he reassured her, "No one was harmed, if that is what your concern is. I simply wanted to make our travels as comfortable as possible for you, so I payed the driver generously to let me have this." When he still saw the confusion in her eyes, he added, "Christine, over the years I have saved much of the salary the opera house gave me for this moment. I have hoped deep down for years this moment would come, and I told myself if it ever did, I wanted to be able to give you the world. I assure you, that I can do. Again, I just need your trust. I can give you the life of a queen, if you so pleased."

"Angel, while I am flattered you thought of my well being in all this planning, money and riches only brings so much happiness. I am more concerned with what you can offer me as a life partner," she explained, and when she saw his face drop slightly, she quickly added, "But I am very much grateful for the financial stability you claim to offer."

He simply gave a small smile, and once more gently led her over to the carriage. Opening the door, he helped her inside, and commented, "Get some rest. I shall close the windows, so you can keep warm. We still have much traveling to do, and you will need all the energy you can get."

Christine nodded. "Yes, sir," she replied, and watched as he shut the door and closed all the windows. She begun to shut the curtains covering the windows as they started to move, and was just about to shut the one behind where Phantom would sit, when she hesitated before asking, "May I ask you a question?"

He glanced back at her. "You may ask me anything, sweet Christine."

A slight blush came to her cheeks when he said this, and she worked up the verve to ask him, "What is your real name?"

She could hear him quietly chuckle. "My apologies, I thought I had already provided that information somewhere over the years. ...It's Erik."

"Erik," she echoed. "I like it, It suits you." He once more glanced back, and she saw the grin on his face. "Goodnight...Erik."

"Goodnight Christine," he replied, and she shut the final curtain before lying down on the seat and letting slumber quickly overtake her.


	3. Chapter 3

As Christine began to awake from her fitful slumber, her mind was a confused haze as she tried to recall where she was. Squinting, she looked around the carriage she was in, and noticed not only was there a very pale light filtering in through the cracks of the closed shutters, but it was also still. Sitting up, she stretched her arms as high as the carriage would allow over her head, trying to ease the soreness in her muscles, but froze as soon as she heard something outside the carriage. Tightening the cloak around herself, she moved to one of the side windows, and with a careful and slow pace, cracked open the curtain so she could see outside. Making sure to stay back from the opening she created, she peeked outside, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was simply the horse Erik had purchased to take them away. She gave a small smile as she watched the dark and beautiful creature graze near the carriage, the calmness of their surroundings allowing her to hear the horse's quiet breathing. Opening the shutter just a bit more, she breathed in the crisp clean air, and noticed it was either still very late in the night, or very early in the morning, dawn growing near but still not quite there.

She suddenly found herself wondering just where Erik could be, and closing the curtains she moved to the opening just behind the driver's seat and opened it, immediately noticing he was right where she last saw him, clearly dozing. Cautiously, she touched his shoulder, and he immediately jolted upright, spinning around and looking at her with wide eyes. "Christine, what are you doing?" he exclaimed, clearly brought back by her actions.

"My apologies, I did not mean to startle you. I could not help but notice how uncomfortable you look. Surely, you cannot be getting decent sleep in that position?" she commented.

"Christine, I am fine. You should get more rest, I must get us back on our way anyway," he replied, straightening up in his seat.

"Erik, please. I know you must be freezing. There are two benches in here, please come in here for just a moment to at the very least get out of the elements."

Erik noted that his fingers and toes were beginning to lose feeling, and despite the thought of how vulnerable this would make them, he knew she was right. If he did not try to warm up, he could end up preventing himself from being able to properly protect her. Getting down from the driver's seat, Erik made his way into the carriage, and wrapped the cloak tightly around himself as he sat down.

"How was your rest?" he asked as he briskly rubbed his hands together.

"As well as it could be in a carriage," she replied. Erik's heart dropped, immediately feeling as though he had failed her, but when he saw her smirk he realized she meant it in a playful manner. "I am very grateful for you getting this, Erik. Truly. I would have been content with simply riding on a horse with you, but in your normal over-the-top manner, you had to get the most extravagant means of transportation possible."

"Not true, I could have fetched you a carriage made of gold and full of jewels," he quipped, and they shared a laugh. Growing serious, Erik added, "As I have already stated, I simply want to ensure I give you the life and things you deserve. I know this isn't the most glamorous option, but in a moment of quick judgments it was the best I could offer."

"Erik, stop. This is perfect." Leaning forward, Christine boldly took one of his hands in hers and added, "YOU are perfect."

Erik simply sat there, taking in what she just said, and without thinking pulled her to him. Christine cried out in surprise as she toppled onto his lap, and before she had the chance to react his arms were tightly around her and his lips were crushed against hers in a heated kiss. Letting out a soft moan, Christine stiffened at first in surprise, but quickly melted into him, her arm going around his neck as she returned it with just as much passion. His hand entangling in her hair, Erik let his free hand slip under her cloak, exploring her midsection before traveling lower.

When Christine suddenly felt his hand on her bare leg, this jolted her back to reality, and pulling away she said breathlessly, "Erik...we mustn't..."

Realizing what he was doing, he nodded and pulled his hand back. "Forgive me, Christine. My actions were inappropriate," he replied, and running hand through a strand of her curls, added quietly, "You are just so intoxicating."

Blushing, she gave a shy grin, and leaning forward gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Perhaps we should continue on our way?" she suggested, looking deep into his warm blue eyes. "I am quite curious by these secretive plans you have in store for us."

Grinning, he replied, "Well then I surely should not keep you waiting any longer than necessary."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, Erik gently sat her back down in the other bench, and made his way back out of the carriage to continue their travels to their new life.

* * *

 **A/N: I apologize for the delay in updating. Life has been crazy, but I have been writing quite a bit more, so I am hoping this newfound inspiration does not go away. Thank you to those who have kept their interest! :)**


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